FANTASY FOOTBALL ARTICLES

Better Than Average (BTA) RankingsDavid Dorey
August 2, 2005

The Huddle has always presented Consistency Rankings since 1997 but last year we've added this new way to measure the effectiveness of players. While the consistency rankings measured how many times a player excelled offensively - topping 100 yards rushing, scoring twice in a game and so on, the Consistency Versus Defense measures how many times a player managed to turn in a performance that was either in the top eight, top four or the very best that was allowed by the particular defense the player was facing considering the entire season .

While gaining 100 yards receiving may be great for fantasy scoring, what is the reality there? Was it the only one the defense allowed all season or did every game produce as much? These rankings are intended to show how well players performed compared to each other since they measure how well they did against the specific defenses that they faced.

Remember - Consistency Rankings measure offensively how many games a player excelled. Better Than Average Rankings measure players from a defensive perspective - how many times a player turn in a Top 8, Top 4 or Top 1 (meaning the very best) performance against a defense considering all players that each defense faced within the entire season.

Top 8

The number of games which were within the top 8 are significant because it means that the player outperformed most of the others (in a 16 game season) that played against each NFL defense. For the most extreme example, Peyton Manning turned in an astounding 15 games which were better than the average quarterback did against the same defenses that Manning faced last year. In fantasy football, the only way to consistently win is to use players that score "better than average" so that you're chances of winning a randomly scheduled head-to-head game is increased.

Consider this rating as even more telling for the wide receivers. Consider that while each defense faced (in theory) only 16 opposing quarterbacks each season, they went against three or even four wideouts per game. So while a quarterback has 1:2 chance of being in the Top 8, a wideout has at least a 1:6 chance (3 receivers x 16 games = 48 and only 8 spots in the top 8).

Again, this counts how many performances by the individual player ended up being in the top 8 allowed by the defense that the player faced.

Top 8

Quarterback

Top 8

Running Back

Top 8

Tight End

Top 8

Wide Receiver

15

Manning, Peyton

12

Alexander, Shaun

13

Gonzalez, Tony

9

Horn, Joe

13

Culpepper, Daunte

12

Dillon, Corey

13

Gates, Antonio

8

Muhammad, Muhsin

12

Green, Trent

12

Barber, Tiki

12

Witten, Jason

8

Walker, Javon

12

Favre, Brett

11

Martin, Curtis

12

McMichael, Randy

8

Moss, Randy

11

Bulger, Marc

11

Tomlinson, Ladainian

10

Crumpler, Alge

7

Owens, Terrell

11

Delhomme, Jake

10

James, Edgerrin

9

Wiggins, Jermaine

7

Holt, Torry

11

Brady, Tom

9

Davis, Domanick

8

Johnson, Eric

7

Johnson, Chad

10

McNabb, Donovan

8

Johnson, Rudi

8

Graham, Daniel

7

Wayne, Reggie

10

Plummer, Jake

8

Bettis, Jerome

8

Shockey, Jeremy

6

Chambers, Chris

10

Hasselbeck, Matt

7

Jones, Thomas

7

Shea, Aaron

6

Clayton, Michael

8

Harrington, Joey

7

Westbrook, Brian

7

Cooley, Chris

6

Stokley, Brandon

8

Brooks, Aaron

7

Lewis, Jamal

6

Clark, Dallas

6

Kennison, Eddie

7

Griese, Brian

6

Holmes, Priest

6

Franks, Bubba

5

Harrison, Marvin

7

Palmer, Carson

6

McGahee, Willis

6

Smith, L.J.

5

Evans, Lee

7

Vick, Michael

6

Droughns, Reuben

6

Stevens, Jerramy

5

Smith, Rod

7

Leftwich, Byron

6

Dunn, Warrick

5

Pollard, Marcus

5

Fitzgerald, Larry

7

Pennington, Chad

6

Goings, Nick

5

Jones, Freddie

5

Lelie, Ashley

7

Roethlisberger, Ben

6

Taylor, Fred

5

Putzier, Jeb

5

Driver, Donald

7

Brees, Drew

6

McAllister, Deuce

4

Campbell, Mark

5

Smith, Jimmy

6

Rattay, Tim

5

Portis, Clinton

4

Schobel, Matt

5

Burleson, Nate

6

Volek, Billy

5

Johnson, Larry

4

Mangum, Kris

5

Patten, David

6

Boller, Kyle

5

Pittman, Michael

4

Williams, Boo

5

Ward, Hines

6

Testaverde, Vinny

5

Suggs, Lee

4

Baker, Chris

5

Jackson, Darrell

5

Carr, David

5

Barlow, Kevan

4

Jolley, Doug

5

Bruce, Isaac

4

4 Players

5

Brown, Chris

3

12 Players

5

Mason, Derrick

3

2 Players

4

2 Players

2

14 Players

4

6 Players

2

7 Players

3

9 Players

1

21 Players

3

9 Players

1

11 Players

2

6 Players

2

15 Players

1

22 Players

1

24 Players

Top 4

This listing shows the same concept but only counts when a player turned in a game that ended up being one of the Top 4 allowed by a defense to that particular position over the course of an entire season. That represents a great game by the player and a level of production that should be enough to make the weekly winning difference for your fantasy team.

Top 4

Quarterback

Top 4

Running Back

Top 4

Tight End

Top 4

Wide Receiver

10

Manning, Peyton

9

Alexander, Shaun

10

Gonzalez, Tony

8

Muhammad, Muhsin

9

Culpepper, Daunte

8

Dillon, Corey

9

Gates, Antonio

6

Holt, Torry

8

Bulger, Marc

8

Barber, Tiki

8

Witten, Jason

6

Walker, Javon

8

Brady, Tom

7

Martin, Curtis

7

Crumpler, Alge

5

Owens, Terrell

7

McNabb, Donovan

6

Tomlinson, Ladainian

7

McMichael, Randy

5

Johnson, Chad

7

Green, Trent

6

Davis, Domanick

7

Shockey, Jeremy

5

Stokley, Brandon

7

Delhomme, Jake

6

McGahee, Willis

6

Johnson, Eric

4

Bennett, Drew

5

Vick, Michael

5

Holmes, Priest

5

Graham, Daniel

4

Kennison, Eddie

4

Favre, Brett

5

Johnson, Rudi

5

Clark, Dallas

4

Ward, Hines

4

Hasselbeck, Matt

5

Johnson, Larry

4

Wiggins, Jermaine

3

Harrison, Marvin

4

Brooks, Aaron

4

James, Edgerrin

3

Campbell, Mark

3

Porter, Jerry

4

Pennington, Chad

4

Droughns, Reuben

3

Cooley, Chris

3

Horn, Joe

4

Roethlisberger, Ben

3

Portis, Clinton

3

Pollard, Marcus

3

Moss, Randy

4

Garcia, Jeff

3

Green, Ahman

3

Schobel, Matt

3

Wayne, Reggie

3

Griese, Brian

3

Jones, Thomas

3

Heap, Todd

3

Evans, Lee

3

Collins, Kerry

3

Westbrook, Brian

3

Tuman, Jerame

3

Fitzgerald, Larry

3

Plummer, Jake

3

Pittman, Michael

3

Franks, Bubba

3

Driver, Donald

3

Palmer, Carson

3

Jones, Julius

3

Jones, Freddie

3

Jackson, Darrell

3

McCown, Josh

3

Bettis, Jerome

3

Williams, Boo

3

Bruce, Isaac

3

Harrington, Joey

3

Lewis, Jamal

2

6 Players

2

15 Players

3

Brees, Drew

3

Brown, Chris

1

21 Players

1

21 Players

3

Testaverde, Vinny

3

Blaylock, Derrick

2

Rattay, Tim

2

7 Players

2

4 Players

1

10 Players

1

9 Players

Top 1

Solid Gold. This is a listing of the players that gained more fantasy points against a defense than any other player in their position. Each position has only 32 times it could possibly happen. Each one of these represent a player that gave a defense their worst game of the year. Any player that did it more than one lucky time deserves considerations this summer in fantasy drafts.